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. 2025 May;67(5):1991-2001.
doi: 10.1007/s12033-024-01177-8. Epub 2024 May 21.

Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma Combined with Physical Therapy on IL-1β, TGF-β1, and MMP-3 in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Yuhao Yan  1 , Xuanze Liu  1 , Ying Chen  1 , Mingliang He  1 , Jun Xie  1 , Guoqing Xiao  2
Affiliations

Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma Combined with Physical Therapy on IL-1β, TGF-β1, and MMP-3 in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Yuhao Yan et al. Mol Biotechnol. 2025 May.

Abstract

The occurrence of osteoarthritis in the knee joint is regulated by a complex network, and there is currently no specific therapeutic drug available. Functional exercises and treatments targeting inflammatory factors have shown the potential to alleviate knee osteoarthritis to some extent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the intra-articular injection (IAI) of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with physical therapy (PT) in treating knee osteoarthritis. A total of 128 patients with knee osteoarthritis were included in the study, including 64 males and 64 females. A total of 128 patients were divided into sodium hyaluronate group (HA group), PRP group, PRP + PT group, and PT group, with 32 cases in each group. Visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) were employed to evaluate the recovery of patients from pain and osteoarthritis. Color Doppler ultrasound imaging technology was utilized to assess joint effusion, synovial membrane thickness, and articular cartilage thickness in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and matrix metallopeptidase 3 (MMP-3) in the synovial fluid. Compared to the HA group, the PT group, PRP group, and PRP combined with PT (PRP + PT) group all showed reduced VAS and WOMAC scores, increased JOA scores, decreased joint effusion, synovial membrane thickness, and articular cartilage thickness in the knee joint. Additionally, levels of IL-1β and MMP-3 in the synovial fluid decreased, while TGF-β1 levels increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the PT group, the VAS and WOMAC scores of the knee joint in the PRP group decreased, JOA scores increased, joint effusion, synovial thickness, and articular cartilage thickness decreased, but there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05), and the PRP + PT group showed decreased VAS and WOMAC scores, increased JOA scores, reduced joint effusion, synovial membrane thickness, and articular cartilage thickness in the knee joint. Moreover, levels of IL-1β and MMP-3 in the synovial fluid decreased, while TGF-β1 levels increased (P < 0.05). No severe adverse reactions were observed in any of the four groups, but the pain rate in the PRP + TP group was significantly lower than PT group, PRP group, and PRP + PT group (P < 0.05). The efficacy of intra-articular injection of PRP combined with exercise therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis is superior to that of single interventions such as simple interventions of HA, PRP injection, and PT. Furthermore, intra-articular injection of PRP combined with exercise therapy demonstrates enhanced effectiveness in improving the inflammatory levels associated with knee osteoarthritis and facilitating the rehabilitation process.

Keywords: Inflammation; Knee osteoarthritis; Physical therapy; Platelet-rich plasma; Sodium hyaluronate.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College. All experiments were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations such as the Declaration of Helsinki and the patients signed informed consent form and agreed to be published. Consent for publication: Not applicable.

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